In Place Of Another
by randomramblings
Summary: Legolas gets mistaken for someone else and gets beaten up in place of the other elf. Set before FOTR, when Legolas is still pretty young. Complete
1. Chapter I In place of another

In Place of Another

Summary : Legolas gets mistaken for someone else and ia beaten up in place of another elf. Set when Legolas is quite young, but old enough to be training for a warrior already. 

Note : I wrote this a pretty long time ago, and forgot totally about it… just came across it when I was browsing through my files… so here it is for whoever's interested. 

~*~

You can't kill me. I'm already dead.

You can't kill me. I'm dead. Dead. Dead.

Something inside Lamalas shifted, like nothing he had experienced before, white hot rage erupted in him . He tore free of the hands holding him down and hurled himself at his tormentor, hitting him again and again and again. 

I'll kill you. Kill you. Kill you. Kill you.

They wrenched him off and threw him against a tree. The back of his head smashed against the rough bark and he felt sick.

Slowly, his tormentor got up, and wiped the blood from the corner of his lip with the back of his hand. His eyes narrowed and he said in a low tone.

"You're going to wish you never did that"

Lamalas' rage was gone. Instead he was blissfully numb. Everything was clear to him now. He would be dead very soon. But really, they had killed him a long time ago, so they couldn't hurt him anymore.

The first punch was right over his heart and didn't hurt at all.

You can't hurt, me, I'm dead already. Dead.

But then came a second punch in the side of his head and a third right where the first had landed. Pretty soon it did hurt. 

But you can't hurt me. I'm dead already.

It hurt more, a spreading pattern of warm pain.

~*`

Legolas panted slightly as he made his way down the path back home. Training had been especially strenuous  today and the warrior masters had worked them hard. He raveled in the beauty of his forest. Breathing in deeply and taking in the familiar smell of the woods. 

 Suddenly, a hand tapped lightly on his shoulder making him jump. He had not heard any footsteps neither sensed the presence of another.

It was Lemalas from the same training party as himself. He was small built for his age with blond hair, much alike Legolas', that hung around rather messily about his head. His eyes darted around nervously and he had a stutter, Legolas noticed for the first time as Lemalas began to speak. It was a strange impediment for an elf to have for they were not born that way.  

"I- I ' ve b- b- een waiting for you-u ." he stammered out. Legolas turned his head expectantly to the other elf, waiting for him to provide more information. 

"C c could you meet me at the glade by  the oldest tree tonight, when the moon is highest in the sky?  I – I – I ha-ve something to show you." Legolas pondered over the strange request. There was no great friendship between himself and his companion, and he found it strange that Lamalas would ask such of him. Finally, his curiosity getting the better of him, he grudgingly nodded his head in agreement. It was a harmless enough request.

Lamalas brightened at his response and grinned widely at Legolas . "You're going to love what I have to show you!" He added happily. With that, he left a puzzled Legolas standing alone on the path, and practically skipped down the other direction.

~*~

He has fallen for it.

Lamalas thought gleefully to himself. No longer do I have to suffer the abuse from those three. No longer must I put up with them.    

It would all end tonight and he could hardly wait. He traveled down the path back home, walking as lightly as he had the days before this had all began. 

~*~

Legolas pulled on his clock and pulled up the hood over his head. He quietly slipped out of the palace and strode quickly into the night. 

He arrived at the glade at the assigned time and wondered where Lamalas was. He gazed up at the stars above, seeking out the star most dear to the elves. A sound behind him made him turn and he whipped around.

Three shadowy figures emerged from the shadows and stepped out into the pale moonlight. 

"So you've come after all? I am so glad that you finally decided to stop being the coward that you are."

"Too bad, you're going to regret it."

"Tsk, tsk, the one time you're brave enough to face us, and no one will be here to see."

"or to hear you scream…"

With these menacing words, the three elves advanced on Legolas. 

Maeglin, Amroth and  Tuor. But Lamalas…  The truth dawned on Legolas too late as he felt strong arms grip his own and pin him to a tree. He opened his mouth to speak but his words were lost as he gasped out when a fist connected with the tender flesh of his stomach. The clenched hand reared again and struck, struck again, again, pounding him. The hands holding him down rendered him helpless, incapable of resistance… 

His head connected with the back of the tree, hood and all,  dazing him and making the world around him spin crazily. The hands around him loosened their grip and he fell to his knees, panting heavily. His hands tightening on the grass that covered the ground in a bid to lessen the stress of his pain. He tried to speak to tell them it was a mistake. They had the wrong person. Why were they doing this anyway?

A foot bore down on his neck, grounding his face into the soil and Legolas could taste the dirt in this mouth. He choked, trying to spit it out but the foot continued to hold him there. His hand was wrenched behind him and brutally twisted. Legolas distinctly heard a crack and dismally worried that something had been broken. He could not move his arm. Something was definitely broken.  Waves of pain radiated from his arm and all over his injured, bruised body. A new surge of agony passed though him taking him away with it. His body went limp.

"He's out." Tuor said to Maeglin. 

"Good, he won't cross us again." Maeglin replied sending another vicious kick to their victim, he moaned slightly on the ground. 

"Time to leave" The other two followed him grimly, leaving the poor broken body lying in the dirt. 

Legolas floated back to consciousness unwillingly, and with awareness came the pain with a vengeance. 

He let his tongue explore his swollen lips. He didn't want to move anything else. He lay there for awhile, mustering as much sense and reason as he could to convince himself to move. 

He had to make it home. His elven healing had already began to do it's work and he struggled to his feet, supporting his body with his hands. He cried out as his broken arm gave way, throwing him back onto the ground. Slowly, he tried to stand again, this time being careful of his broken limb. 

He wavered on his feet for a moment, the trees around him titling a little from time to time, and holding onto the steady barks of trees for support, limped slowly back to the palace.

How many times, he had to stop and rest, holding on to anything that was near for support, he did not know, but finally, he made it back home. 

He stumbled wearily into his room. 

Safe at last.

Legolas staggered to his bed and flopped down on the soft covers. Though his back ached terribly from the countless bruises he had received. Reluctantly, he shakily sat up and took off his shirt and tunic. Blood had dribbled from his lip,  down his neck and on to his chest. He mopped at it, trying to avoid the bruises.

He heard the door to his room creak open and panic spread through his being. 

Not now. 

Desperately, he dived under the covers of his bed and pulled them high over his head, just as his father walked into the room. He breathed deeply, trying to pretend that he was still asleep. He heard his father sitting on his bed, and his body tensed as he prepared for the inevitable.

His father placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him gently. Legolas cried out in pain, as his broken bones were jarred. He cried out in pain, unable to catch the noise before it escaped. His father froze, worried. 

  
"My Son… what is wrong?"

Trembling, Legolas turned around to face his ada, wincing as his body weight rested on his bruised back. 

Thranduil took in his breath sharply. His son. His only Son had been brutally abused.

How and why?

Legolas fixed uncertain eyes on his father. Unsure of what his reaction would be. He was loathe to tell him what had happened. He did not want to relive it.

Wordlessly, the king of Mirkwood stalked out of the room, passed the message to one of the his subjects to send for the healers, and strode back to his son's side.

Legolas watched his movements in silence, trying to slow his ragged breathing. He was in so much pain that he half wished the dark void of unconsciousness would claim him again.

~*~

They gave him a sleeping draught so he did not have to be awake when they did their work on him. His eyes drifted out of focus as he thankfully succumbed to sleep, the stress of events weighing down on him.

Thranduil stood tersely by his side. Seething with rage as the healers cleaned the dirt away from his son's injuries making them stand out sharply in contrast with the fair skin. Legolas' face was contorted in pain and he moaned as they inevitably pressed down on the patches of black and blue that marred his skin. 

After what seemed like eternity, the healers finished their work and Legolas rested with his arm bound ,a soothing lotion covering his many bruises and a clean white bandage wound around his head. 

Thranduil sat by his side, his hand in the smaller elf's, his heart filled with rage at his son's condition. 

No one hurt Thranduil's sons and got away with it. 

TBC…

So, if you want the next chapter, review !!!


	2. Chapter II Resolution

In place of another – Part II

_See ye not yon narrow road,_

_So thick beset with thorns and briars?_

_That is the path to righteousness,_

_though__ after it but few enquire._

_And see ye not yon broad, broad road_

_That lies across the lilie leven?_

_That it the path to wickedness,_

_though__ some call it the road to heaven._

_The Scottish Ballad 'Thomas the Rhymer'_

~*

Lamalas hands shook slightly as he bent down to pick up his pack. He could feel Legolas' eyes on him. _I had to do it? Don't you understand? Don't look at me so… _The other elf's eyes were boring into him. Lamalas tried his hardest not to notice, hurriedly grabbing his pack and running off. 

He strode down the path home, breathing a small, shaky sigh of relief. He had not expected Legolas to be at the training grounds today. Apparently, he had insisted on coming down to watch so he could at least learn from others. His arm was still not fully healed, Lamalas had noticed with a surge of guilt. 

_It was for the best. Sometimes, we have to do these things._ In his heart of hearts, Lamalas knew it was wrong. Another had got hurt in place of himself. 

~*

Legolas glared hard at Lamalas, noting his shaking hands as he retrieved his things. He wondered how anyone could be so indifferent. Suddenly, a memory resurfaced and he recalled a minor incident a few months ago.

_"So you're here at last."_

_The older elf, Maeglin placed a firm hand on the smaller beings shoulders and led him away._

_The next day, Lamalas had been paired with Legolas during warrior training. When Legolas had brushed against Lamalas elbow accidentally, the other elf had flinched and pulled away quickly. _

Legolas had dismissed the action as nothing at that time, but perhaps there was more to it then it seemed. 

He was disinclined to tell his father who his attackers were. It was not that he didn't want to. It was just that … something nagged at him at the back of his mind that it would be better if he tried to settle this himself. He had to find some answers. 

~*

Tuor had heard the rumors. 

_The prince had been attacked by some assailants. _

_Their identity had yet to be found…_

_The king was furious… _

He had told himself to relax. Breathe. Calm down. It could have been someone else who did it. All he had to do was make sure Lamalas was still… out of action. If he was, it proved that it was not them

Just then, he caught sight of Lamalas running off home after training. 

_Running…_

~*

Legolas was hurrying back to the palace. He had promised his ada to be home on time. He could just see the palace in the distance, when a hand tapped his shoulder. Not again… Legolas thought dismally, his guard up at once.

Turning around, he found himself faced with the three elves from the night before. He glanced sideways, looking for any possible escape route, before deciding there was no running away, and looking them square in the eye. 

"What do you want?"

He said in the frostiest tones he could manage. 

"Peace. We come to apologize."

"Yes, we were waiting for the miserable worm Lamalas."

Legolas pondered over this for a while. So he had guessed right. They had intended for Lamalas to take the beating and not himself. 

"But why…?"

He ventured after a few moments. He was met with stony silence, as the three older elves pretended to stare at something interesting far away.

"So … will you tell your ada?"

"Will you hurt Lamalas again? Or anyone else for that matter?"

"No."

"And I have your word."

"Yes."

Legolas knew he could believe them, they knew the consequences of breaking their word anyway. With nothing more to be said, he nodded slightly to them and continued on his way back.

~*

Tuor lay on his bed that night, pondering over his earlier conversation with the Prince. 

It had all began when his father met with an accident on one of the orc skirmishes at Southern Mirkwood. He had began to withdraw more and more into himself. Ignoring his Naneth and refusing to speak to her. Eventually he did begin to talk to her again, but their conversations were nothing but formal, polite conversation. He supposed his grief had manifested into rage and he had started taking it out on Lamalas who unfortunately was at the wrong place at the wrong time. It had just become a habit after that. 

His friend's Maeglin and Amroth were simply being influenced by him. He was slightly older then they and they had always been highly affected by him. 

Things could be different now. He resolved to change. He heard the door to his room open and his Naneth creep silently to his bedside. She tucked him in and kissed him tenderly on the forehead, thinking him to be asleep. 

He blinked and she pulled back slightly in shock. _Things could be different now._ He hugged his mother tightly and whispered, quietly a few soft words. 

_I love you Naneth._

~*

Weeks passed and Legolas' arm healed. His father had not pursued the matter of how he had incurred these injuries. He knew his son would tell him in time to come. 

"Lamalas and… Legolas."

Legolas almost laughed out loud at the other elf's look of horror and shock. He had long forgiven the other elf. They both picked up their weapons and prepared to spar. 

At the end of the session, Legolas had effectively disarmed Lamalas and brought him to the ground. He reached out a hand to help him up. 

Lamalas looked up in surprise and took the hand gladly. He dusted himself off and then whispered rather hoarsely. 

"You – I …"

"All is forgiven, mellon  nin. We all make the wrong choice sometimes."

"I am sorry."

Legolas beamed at him and together they walked to where their things lay. 

A month, later as Legolas was washing up and readying himself for bed he realized something. Lamalas stuttered no more. 

THE END

Writer's note : I'm glad I received such a great response for the first chapter!!! I hoped you found this a reasonable way to resolve the issue. Wow, I really can't believe I FINISHED a fic for once. :o)       

The names, Tuor, Maeglin and Amroth were randomly selected from an elvish name generator. I am only a quarter of the way through the Silmarillion and didn't know the names were from there. So, I hope no one minded too much my borrowing them. 

Thanx for the reviews !! :o) 

If you have any suggestions for future fics, do tell ! :o)

And pls review this chapter !!!  :o)


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